Khaberni - Reuters reported, quoting knowledgeable sources, that Saudi Arabia intends to open two new stores for selling alcoholic beverages, one of them for non-Muslim foreign employees at the oil giant Aramco.
According to Reuters, the launch of these stores in Dhahran in the Eastern Province and another store for diplomats in the coastal city of Jeddah comes as part of Saudi Arabia’s easing of restrictions on alcoholic beverages.
Last year, Saudi Arabia opened an alcohol store serving non-Muslim diplomats in the capital Riyadh, which was the first outlet of its kind since the ban was imposed 73 years ago.
Reuters reported, quoting one of the three individuals who spoke to the agency, that the new store in Dhahran will be established in a complex owned by Aramco, indicating that the Saudi authorities have informed him about the plan, and that the store will be open to non-Muslim employees working at Aramco.
Two of the sources told Reuters that a third store for selling alcoholic beverages is also being prepared to serve non-Muslim diplomats in the city of Jeddah, where many missions have honorary consuls.
Two sources reported to the agency that both stores were expected to open in 2026, but no timelines have been formally announced yet.
Meanwhile, the agency noted that no official announcement of any change in regulations has yet been made following the opening of the Riyadh store in a regular building in the Diplomatic Quarter, which some diplomats refer to as the "alcohol cellar."
Two sources told Reuters that the customer base of the Riyadh store recently expanded to include holders of the premium Saudi residency for non-Muslims. Premium residencies have been granted to top entrepreneurs, major investors, and individuals with special talents.
